The rare orange-red colored Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar 'Harvest Orange' shows a nonsense mutation in a flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase allele expressed in the bracts.

BACKGROUND: Commercially available poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) varieties prevalently accumulate cyanidin derivatives and show intense red coloration. Orange-red bract color is less common. We investigated four cultivars displaying four different red hues with respect to selected enzymes and genes of the anthocyanin pathway, putatively determining the color hue. RESULTS: Red hues correlated with anthocyanin composition and concentration and showed common dark red coloration in cultivars 'Christmas Beauty' and 'Christmas Feeling' where cyanidin derivatives were prevalent. In contrast, orange-red bract color is based on the prevalent presence of pelargonidin derivatives that comprised 85% of the total anthocyanin content in cv. 'Premium Red' and 96% in cv. 'Harvest Orange' (synonym: 'Orange Spice'). cDNA clones of flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H) and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) were isolated from the four varieties, and functional activity and substrate specificity of the corresponding recombinant enzymes were studied. Kinetic studies demonstrated that poinsettia DFRs prefer dihydromyricetin and dihydroquercetin over dihydrokaempferol, and thus, favor the formation of cyanidin over pelargonidin. Whereas the F3'H cDNA clones of cultivars 'Christmas Beauty', 'Christmas Feeling', and 'Premium Red' encoded functionally active enzymes, the F3'H cDNA clone of cv. 'Harvest Orange' contained an insertion of 28 bases, which is partly a duplication of 20 bases found close to the insertion site. This causes a frameshift mutation with a premature stop codon after nucleotide 132 and, therefore, a non-functional enzyme. Heterozygosity of the F3'H was demonstrated in this cultivar, but only the mutated allele was expressed in the bracts. No correlation between F3'H-expression and the color hue could be observed in the four species. CONCLUSIONS: Rare orange-red poinsettia hues caused by pelargonidin based anthocyanins can be achieved by different mechanisms. F3'H is a critical step in the establishment of orange red poinsettia color. Although poinsettia DFR shows a low substrate specificity for dihydrokaempferol, sufficient precursor for pelargonidin formation is available in planta, in the absence of F3'H activity.

Transgenic apple plants overexpressing the chalcone 3-hydroxylase gene of Cosmos sulphureus show increased levels of 3-hydroxyphloridzin and reduced susceptibility to apple scab and fire blight.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Overexpression of chalcone-3-hydroxylase provokes increased accumulation of 3-hydroxyphloridzin in Malus . Decreased flavonoid concentrations but unchanged flavonoid class composition were observed. The increased 3-hydroxyphlorizin contents correlate well with reduced susceptibility to fire blight and scab. The involvement of dihydrochalcones in the apple defence mechanism against pathogens is discussed but unknown biosynthetic steps in their formation hamper studies on their physiological relevance. The formation of 3-hydroxyphloretin is one of the gaps in the pathway. Polyphenol oxidases and cytochrome P450 dependent enzymes could be involved. Hydroxylation of phloretin in position 3 has high similarity to the B-ring hydroxylation of flavonoids catalysed by the well-known flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H). Using recombinant F3'H and chalcone 3-hydroxylase (CH3H) from Cosmos sulphureus we show that F3'H and CH3H accept phloretin to some extent but higher conversion rates are obtained with CH3H. To test whether CH3H catalyzes the hydroxylation of dihydrochalcones in planta and if this could be of physiological relevance, we created transgenic apple trees harbouring CH3H from C. sulphureus. The three transgenic lines obtained showed lower polyphenol concentrations but no shift between the main polyphenol classes dihydrochalcones, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavan 3-ols. Increase of 3-hydroxyphloridzin within the dihydrochalcones and of epicatechin/catechin within soluble flavan 3-ols were observed. Decreased activity of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase and chalcone synthase/chalcone isomerase could partially explain the lower polyphenol concentrations. In comparison to the parent line, the transgenic CH3H-lines showed a lower disease susceptibility to fire blight and apple scab that correlated with the increased 3-hydroxyphlorizin contents.

Effects of quercetin and catechin on hepatic glutathione-S transferase (GST), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), and antioxidant enzyme activity levels in rats.

Cell culture data indicate that quercetin and catechin may affect the activity of phase II and antioxidant enzymes. However, little is known about the impact of dietary flavonoids in vivo. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the in vivo effects of the flavonoids quercetin and catechin on mRNA and activity levels of phase II enzymes glutathione-S transferase (GST) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) in rat liver. Furthermore, the activity of the hepatic antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was determined. Feeding male Wistar rats (3 x 6 animals) over 3 wk with semisynthetic diets enriched with quercetin and catechin (2 g/kg diet) did not affect liver enzyme activity of CAT, GPx, and SOD as well lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels. Dietary quercetin significantly decreased activity of hepatic GST (24%), whereas dietary catechin significantly decreased NQO1 activity (26%) compared to controls. Changes in GST and NQO1 activity were partly reflected on mRNA levels. Current data indicate that dietary flavonoids have little effects on liver oxidant/antioxidant status but do significantly affect the phase II enzymes GST and NQO1 in rat liver. This in turn may affect the ability of the organism to detoxify endogenous and exogenous xenobiotics.

Identification of galloylated propelargonidins and procyanidins in buckwheat grain and quantification of rutin and flavanols from homostylous hybrids originating from F. esculentumxF. homotropicum.

The flavonoid rich grain of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, Fam. Polygonaceae) is of high nutritional value. With the aim to improve its agronomic productivity, cultivars were crossed with the wild species F. homotropicum which, however, differs in its flavonoid content. The intention of this work was to determine the flavonoid composition in developed interspecific hybrids and to elucidate the proanthocyanidin structures. Seven compounds were purified from methanol extracts of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) grains by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Beside the procyanidin epicatechin-[4-8]-epicatechin-3-O-(3,4)-dimethylgallate the following propelargonidins were identified: epiafzelechin-[4-6]-epicatechin, epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epicatechin, epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epicatechin-3-O-(3,4-dimethyl)-gallate, epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epicatechin-3-O-(3,4-dimethyl)-gallate, epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epicatechin-3-O-4-methyl-gallate and epiafzelechin-[4-8]-epicatechin-p-OH-benzoate on the basis of HPLC and LC-MS/MS.

In vivo and in vitro efficacy of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) against Eimeria spp in lambs.

The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) against ovine coccidia was evaluated in vivo and in vitro. In 3 in vivo trials weaned lambs were allocated into two treatment groups receiving diets with either lucerne (Medicago sativa) or sainfoin. During the trials, which lasted for 7 (trial 1) or 8 weeks (trials 2 and 3), oocysts per gram of faeces (OPGs), faecal scores and weight gain were recorded. In two of the experiments (trials 1 and 3) a reduction in the mean oocyst excretion rates was observed, starting three to four weeks after sainfoin hay feeding. This reduction ranged between 21.3% (trial 1) and 61.7% (trial 3) compared to the control values. As a result, a decrease in the total number of oocysts excreted (expressed as the mean area under the curve of the OPG) was observed from week 4 to the end of the two trials, respectively (trial 1: 42.6% reduction, p=0.05; trial 3: 52.4% reduction, p=0.06). The results did not show any significant diet effect on lamb growth rates and faecal scores. In the in vitro experiments the effect of 39 sainfoin extracts were tested in an oocyst sporulation inhibition assay. The Eimeria oocysts sporulation inhibition throughout the experiments did not exceed 10.7%, showing that extracts of this forages do not have a significant inhibitory effect on Eimeria oocyst sporulation. This was an initial attempt to investigate a possible anticoccidial effect of sainfoin and further studies are needed in order to better understand its mode of action against Eimeria.

Polyphenol metabolism provides a screening tool for beneficial effects of Onobrychis viciifolia (sainfoin).

Onobrychis viciifolia (sainfoin) is a traditional fodder legume showing multiple benefits for the environment, animal health and productivity but weaker agronomic performance in comparison to other legumes. Benefits can be mainly ascribed to the presence of polyphenols. The polyphenol metabolism in O. viciifolia was studied at the level of gene expression, enzyme activity, polyphenol accumulation and antioxidant activity. A screening of 37 accessions regarding each of these characters showed a huge variability between individual samples. Principal component analysis revealed that flavonols and flavan 3-ols are the most relevant variables for discrimination of the accessions. The determination of the activities of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase and flavonol synthase provides a suitable screening tool for the estimation of the ratio of flavonols to flavan 3-ols and can be used for the selection of samples from those varieties that have a specific optimal ratio of these compounds for further breeding.

Acylated flavonol glycosides from the forage legume, Onobrychis viciifolia (sainfoin).

Ten acylated flavonol glycosides were isolated from aqueous acetone extracts of the aerial parts of the forage legume, Onobrychis viciifolia, and their structures determined using spectroscopic methods. Among these were eight previously unreported examples which comprised either feruloylated or sinapoylated derivatives of 3-O-di- and 3-O-triglycosides of kaempferol (3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone) or quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone). The diglycosides were acylated at the primary Glc residue of O-α-Rhap(1→6)-ß-Glcp (rutinose), whereas the triglycosides were acylated at the terminal Rha residues of the branched trisaccharides, O-α-Rhap(1→2)[α-Rhap(1→6)]-ß-Galp or O-α-Rhap(1→2)[α-Rhap(1→6)]-ß-Glcp. Identification of the primary 3-O-linked hexose residues as either Gal or Glc was carried out by negative ion electrospray and serial MS, and cryoprobe NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of UV and MS spectra of the acylated flavonol glycosides provided additional diagnostic features relevant to direct characterisation of these compounds in hyphenated analyses. Quantitative analysis of the acylated flavonol glycosides present in different aerial parts of sainfoin revealed that the highest concentrations were in mature leaflets.

Optimization of a high-performance liquid chromatography method for the analysis of complex polyphenol mixtures and application for sainfoin extracts (Onobrychis viciifolia).

A pentafluorophenylpropyl (PFP) stationary phase was tested for the simultaneous determination of several classes of phenolic compounds. The chromatographic results were compared with those obtained by using a bifunctional phase constituted of octadecyl and phenylpropyl bonded silica and three conventional C18 columns. The elution gradient was optimized with 5% formic acid and sodium acetate in combination with acetic acid as additives and methanol as solvents. For these evaluations, a complex phenolic extract of Onobrychis viciifolia (sainfoin) and test mixtures containing 54 standard substances including 2 simple phenolic compounds, 1 amino acid, 4 hydroxybenzoic acids (HBA), 6 hydroxycinnamic acids (HCA), 3 flavan-3-ols, 9 anthocyanins, 2 dihydroflavonols, 1 chalcone, 4 flavones, 1 isoflavone and 21 flavonols have been assayed. The perfluorinated column showed good resolution for the studied phenolic compounds which have the following elution order: HBA, HCA, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, dihydroflavonols, flavones, flavonols and isoflavones. Compared with other columns, it provides longer elution ranges for HBA, HCA and flavan-3-ols and increased retention times for all compound classes except anthocyanins which were similarly retained on a C18 column. Its selectivity is different from C18 and bifunctional phases. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with diode array detection (DAD) and post-column derivatization with p-dimethyl-aminocinnamic aldehyde (DMACA) has been validated for the analysis of individual phenolic compounds from a sainfoin plant extract (O. viciifolia).

Identification and quantification of phenolic compounds from the forage legume sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia ).

Phenolic compounds of sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia ) variety Cotswold Common are assumed to contribute to its nutritive value and bioactive properties. A purified acetone/water extract was separated by Sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography. Sixty-three phenolic and other aromatic compounds were identified by means of chemical, chromatographic, and spectroscopic methods. Reverse phase HPLC with diode array and chemical reaction detection was used to investigate the phenolic composition of different plant organs. All plant parts showed specific phenolic profiles. Moreover, there were considerable variations in the phenolic content among individual plants of the same variety. The three most abundant phenolic compounds were found to be arbutin [predominant in petiols, 17.7 mg/g of dry weight (DW)], rutin (predominant in leaves, 19.9 mg/g of DW), and catechin (predominant flavanol in petiols, 3.5 mg/g of DW). The present study reveals that the phenolic profile of sainfoin is even more complex than hitherto assumed.

Shift in polyphenol profile and sublethal phenotype caused by silencing of anthocyanidin synthase in apple (Malus sp.).

We have investigated the consequences of blocking anthocyanin biosynthesis by silencing a key enzyme, anthocyanidin synthase, in transgenic plants of a red-leaved apple cultivar. This is complementary to a previous study of induction of anthocyanin biosynthesis by overexpressing a heterologous transcription factor. Analysis of these opposite phenotypes allows one to study anthocyanin functions in apple and to test the influence of the genetic manipulation on other, related metabolites. As expected, anthocyanin biosynthesis was almost completely blocked and this was accompanied by a shift in the profile of flavonoids and related polyphenols. Most interestingly, a rise in epicatechin was found. A severe reduction of viability by necrotic leaf lesions was also observed, suggesting an essential function of anthocyanins in apple.